1920s: William and Edward age up, Joseph starts worrying about death and Anna has an awkward encounter

 

On Anna's last day at home in Willow Creek, it's time for yet another party. This time of year so many people have birthdays it seems to Anna that all they do is go from one party to the next. But this time, it's her baby brother's party - and Edward's of course, but to be fair Anna has not been around enough to actually get to know all her nieces and nephews so she cares less about him. The two boys have, however, their entire life been inseparable, born on the same day as they are. Now it's time for real life to begin. College, moving out, getting a job, finding someone to marry... (partying, although they do not share that idea with their parents).

The party, is as every party held in the Whittaker house, a resounding success. The family crowds in, eats, talks, kids play (some sneak up to the attic to play with the stored toys they have up there) and then it's time for cake, wishes and the blowing out of candle's. William, born a few hours earler than Edward, blows his out first, and then it's Edward's time. William gets the trait romantic, and Edward party animals - meaning two boys longing to party are going off to college. Anna congratulate them both, but is happy when the party is over, and look forward to going home to San Myshuno the next morning.

For Joseph and Abigail it is a new experience to have the house to themselves. For the first time in their life together, there are no children, or teenagers, in the house. Just the two of them. Well, and Dolly of course, although she too is getting on in years, and no longer perform her duties as quickly as she once did. On this, however, Joseph and Abigail are in complete agreeance. Dolly will stay on as long as she wants, as this is her home too, and if she's too old to perform her duties, then so be it.

Something else is starting to worry Joseph, however, and that is what will happen after he dies, for in Louisiana, spouses do not inherit each other, instead the children do. With community property (that they own together), the children will simply have to wait to gain access to their inheritance until the remaining spouse also dies, but with private property - that is all property someone owned prior to marriage - will be divided at once. For Joseph and Abigail, this means the house and about §100 000. Abigail would not be poor by any means, but she would have to move unless their children decide to wait to take out their inheritance. Joseph wants to trust that his children would, but after having a son sentenced for bootlegging and tax evasion, he must admit that he does not entirely do so. 

There is also the fact that Frank and Ida are not technically Abigail's children, even if she did raise them. Besides, Nathaniel and Nash are definitely not Abigail's children, and Joseph knows his girls enough to know that they would not be the ones making the decisions, but let their husbands do the choosing for them. There is only one solution to this. Joseph needs to write a will! After speaking to those who know more than him about legal matters at the club, he sits down in his office to write.

Back in San Myshuno, Anna takes pleasure in being less crowded. Now she and Omisco can go back to the routine they had before. A quick walk in the morning, then work, then a longer time spent outside in the Myshuno meadows, jogging, eating, roller skating or just enjoying nature. Her walls are now filled with her own pictures again, from the jungle and the mountain, but perhaps the wall space is a bit too limited in the small apartment. Is it too much? Anna just knows she loves her pictures.

On arriving, she considered - briefly - knocking on Lamotte's door, but she quickly decides against it. To be fair, she does not know if he still lives there, and she did leave without a proper goodbye. Best to just leave it, she decides. He has probably moved. He must have. It's been years. He's probably married with kids living in the countryside somewhere.

But as she and Omisco take their trip to San Myshuno meadows, who does she run into if not Johnny Lamotte! It's a rather awkward encounter at first, both of them a bit unsure of what to say to the other. But soon the two old friends are talking away as if they met just yesterday. It helps that Lamotte, unlike most of her family, seems genuinely interested in her adventures and her mountain climbing stories. 

The next day there is a new festival in town, that the two friends decide to visit. It turns out, funnily enough, to be a Japanese festival. Anna feels almost right at home. The food taste - different - more bland, than what she had in Japan, but close enough. The Sakura tea is something she never tried in Japan, but she find it stimulating. A bit too stimulating, as she finds herself flirting in ways that is not typical of her. She heads home before the tea gets to her head and makes her do something she regrets. Lamotte is a great friend. She does not want to spoil the friendship by doing something rash that she'd regret later.